* My syndicated newspaper column…

Back in 1966, with the Vietnam War escalating by the day, Vermont Sen. George Aiken famously said the United States should just “declare victory and go home.”

History may have repeated itself last week when the two men assigned by Gov. Rod Blagojevich to forge a compromise on a multibillion-dollar capital construction plan unveiled a $31 billion proposal for roads, bridges, schools and mass transit and then quickly left town. Their war was unwinnable.

* We’ve had this discussion before. Nobody trusts the governor. Nobody is getting along.

* The solution? You got me. Hopefully, the General Assembly can pass a budget and get out of town this week and avoid another long overtime session. Maybe they can come up with a new plan later this year. But there’s a little problem…

There are 1.7 billion reasons the House and Senate have their work cut out for them as they try to negotiate a state budget by the end of the month.

That’s the difference between the chambers’ closest budget proposals, according to Sen. Donne Trotter, a Chicago Democrat and the Senate’s lead budget negotiator.

The big difference is the pension bond scheme, discussed below.

* Also one potential flashpoint was avoided, but another may be on the way…

Gov. Rod Blagojevich Friday decided to go ahead with two extra state aid payments that were promised to schools as part of this year’s state budget. The governor sent a letter to state Comptroller Dan Hynes directing that the payments be made in June as scheduled.

As recently as Wednesday, administration officials had said they were considering a postponement in the payments until July as a money-saving move for a state budget hemorrhaging red ink. School districts were making contingency plans.

Now that he won’t manipulate the numbers to shaft the schools, the governor is gonna have to find money somewhere to balance this fiscal year’s budget, so oxen may be gored. One can only hope that this happens after the General Assembly leaves town - if they leave town, and if he lets them stay gone.

* I’ve been telling subscribers for a couple weeks that one big key to adjourning is this item…

As Illinois lawmakers try to work out a state budget by the end of this week, they also could be moving toward their second consecutive pay raise. Gov. Rod Blagojevich and other top state officials would get a pay bump, too, unless the Senate votes to reject the raise.

* Why is that so important? Here’s a hint…

The Senate has 30 working session days to reject the raises or they automatically take effect. There are varying interpretations on whether to count extra days scheduled when none of the senators is required to show up, so there could be as many as 10 more session days before the raises take effect.

No Senator wants those raises to kick in during a long summer session. Even if they have no opponent, they’d get grief like crazy. So, their fear is our best hope of adjourning on time. Pray for fear.

* More session stuff…

* Ideas sunk, stalled in Capitol

* It’s crunch time at Statehouse

* State lawmakers urged to give $180 million more to Chicago Public Schools

* Senate budget contains 6 percent spending increase

* State Capitol Notebook

* Who’s pimping whom?

* Limits should be placed on House, Senate leadership